Why are these SGI boxes double-high?

[Dave McGuire]

On Apr 24, 2007, at 1:42 PM, Richard wrote:
> It turns out all this SGI gear is coming from Boeing.  That means the
> Onyx 2 Reality Monster is likely to have a nice multi-head
> configuration :-).  Woo hoo!
>
> So my question is... why is this Onyx and Challenge pictured in a
> double-high cabinet?
>
>     <http://www.dovebid.com/assets/display.asp?ItemID=cpt58902>
>     <http://www.dovebid.com/assets/display.asp?ItemID=cpt58877>
>
> Usually when I see a Challenge or Onyx in a photo I see a cabinet that
> is half the height of these and that includes space for all the boards
> and drives.  So what would you need the extra cabinet space for?  More
> boards and drives or just more drives?

   This is the Onyx/Challenge "rack" configuration.  If memory  
serves, it can hold up to three Ebus/VME card cages, and at least one  
19" rackmount disk chassis.  In my experience, these have been just  
about as common as the deskside chassis, though a real pain to move.   
The big plus is that they have very good rollers.  They do, sadly,  
also suffer from the same old SGI problem of cheap plastic skins that  
practically disintegrate if not handled like fine china.  If you so  
much as look at one of those front door hinges wrong, it will break.

            -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL